


Chapter Sixty-Four: Emptiness Within

by CavalierConvoy



Series: MTMTE Series One: Shoot Straight with a Crooked Gun [65]
Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers: Beast Machines
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Ghosts, Haunting, Other, Possession, Quantum Mechanics, Zombies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-08
Updated: 2015-07-08
Packaged: 2018-04-08 02:46:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4287795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CavalierConvoy/pseuds/CavalierConvoy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As more of the crew wake from their three-hundred year death sleep, Skyfire has more than his fair share of duties, including keeping the Air Commander at bay.  With Cyclonus and Blaster's help, he aims to turn the tides on Megatron's attempt at exterminating the Maximals, but Thrust's going rogue to find the Metrotitan is top priority for Primal's group.</p><p>Meanwhile, the other Maximals learn quickly why no one likes Whirl.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chapter Sixty-Four: Emptiness Within

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter Song: ["Emptiness Within" ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWz-kAz2HXQ)by Alpha Point, from  _High Like The Angels_

Lost Light

Iacon Harbour

Three Hundred Years from rendezvous with Wreckers' Spoils

 

_"Sit-Rep!"_

_"This can't be happening!"_

_"Someone give me a sit-rep, dammit!"_

_"We're dead, sir! Dead! How much more of a sit-rep do you want?"_

_" — Primus have mercy on my spark, Primus have mercy on my spark, Primus have mercy on my spark — "_

_"There must be a logical explanation for this — "_

_" — Primus have mercy on my spark, Primus have mercy on my spark — "_

_"If I could see the data for current engine output, I could ascertain a hypothesis to our current predicament — "_

_"We're dead! End of story!"_  

 _Natives are getting restless._ Last count, Skyfire counted ten ghosting sparks aware of their situation, and another fifteen as though rousing from slumber. 

This...was not what he expected. Some of the stronger sparks had come to on their own, but.... _This is what I get for messing with slag I don't fully understand._

 _How it pains you to admit that,_ Starscream chortled. 

"Your poking around the system didn't help things, either," Skyfire chided aloud. "If any of the engineers have woken up — "

 _"I think I heard Perceptor,"_ Trailbreaker observed. _"He's academic-like. If Hoist and Grapple, or Dipstick even, are around, they could give you a hand. Well, Hoist and Grapple would. Dipstick would likely just swear at you."_

"I need to understand these engines better; there's something I'm missing. And it's right in front of me — the concept's there, but there's one factor I'm not seeing, and I can't put my finger on it." 

 _Oh, dear, has the brilliant physicist finally admitted he needs help?_  

"Trailbreaker, can you do me a favour?" Skyfire ignored the parasitic spark. "Can you try calming down your crewmates? Explain what's going on?" 

 _"I can try — can't guarantee anything. I couldn't get them to listen to common sense on a good sol."_ There was a lift of humour in Trailbreaker's statement. _"While I'm at it, I'll see if a genius is available to give you a hand."_  

"Thanks — I'm going to do what I can about tightening the field of influence. This is going to sound bad, but I don't know if this is creating ghosting or an actual spark re-emergence. It's outside my realm of expertise." The physicist paused. "I don't what will happen to you if we succeed in shutting this down completely." 

 _You mean the spiritual aspect of the sparks? Feh. Most likely this is ghosting. Moment the generator is turned off, they'll dissipate._  

 _"We don't have much to lose, then, do we?"_ Trailbreaker's smile was audible. _"Let's see if we can get this under control."_  

The presence left, the sensation of one walking out of the room.

"Starscream, you're scheming."

"Feh. I'm always scheming. I just find this scenario fascinating, that's all. Still, I'm more interested in what you think you're trying to do. We're fragged either way; shut down the generator, we still need to figure out how to destroy it to keep it out of Megatron's grasps. Keep it running...oh, Skyfire, think of it!" The symbiont hissed; it was no stretch of the imagination to picture Starscream looming, a hand on the shoulder in excitement, face close to his host's audio receptor. "Give the Maximals the upper hand — we have, what, two hundred Autobot sparks on board here — if not sparks, then echoes becoming self-aware. We've already witnessed the two fliers taking over Vehicon shells. Think of what would happen if we were able to coax the others to do the same? We have an army of free-thinking warriors, willing to fight against the oppressor!"

 "And what is your motive?" Skyfire demanded.

"Take down Megatron, of course. The same as the Maximals. Which is why I maintained cover so long. We needed each other to survive. Can't guarantee what I'd do afterwards, but I have been, as I will until Megatron is smelted before my own optics, an ally, uneasy for everyone as it were, but an ally, regardless." 

Skyfire bowed his head, contemplating the options. "Silverbolt," he hailed. 

 _"Skyfire."_  

 _So serious,_ Starscream resumed internal monologue. 

"Is Cyclonus with you?" 

 _"I am,"_ the possessed Vehicon answered.

  _What am I? Molten slag?"_ Whirl protested.

"I need your help," Skyfire explained. "I need to know how you were able to commandeer a shell. I'll also need to talk to the commanding officer, or highest ranking officer available." 

 _"You need our aid."_ Cyclonus observed. _"Your numbers are few against a drone army. I will tell you what I can recall."_  

"Thank you. Silverbolt, I think it would be best if you and the other Maximals rejoin Optimus. Something's off with 'Tera and they'll need all the mechpower they can to reach Metroplex. For now, Megatron's thinking twice about trying to take the ship." 

 _"Damn straight he is!"_ Whirl hooted. 

 _"For frag's sake, ye'se a right aft!"_ Braddore snapped. 

 _"Are you...certain...you have control?"_ Silverbolt questioned, ignoring the banter. 

"Of the generator? Yes. Principle's solid. If you're referring about my parasitic twin, answer's also yes. Beautiful thing about a theoretical mathematician being stuck with a quantum generator? All I have to do is throw some logic loops and our favourite mutant spark's caught in his own twisted daydream." 

 _"Say what?"_ Whirl demanded.

 _"Stormrave, assist Cyclonus and Skyfire,"_ Silverbolt ordered. _"Braddore, Whirl — "_  

 _" — Ain't part of your crew, Feathers,"_ Whirl reminded. 

 _"A show of good faith,"_ Cyclonus reminded. _"An exchange, so to speak. Whirl, attend to them. We should not be long."_  

 _"You're not the boss of me,"_ Whirl protested. 

"Whirl, you're an Autobot, right?" Skyfire's question was rhetoric. "We're on the same page. I don't have to tell you that all of our sparks are on the line for this. We need help. And judging by the fight you put up with Obsidian, you'll be a huge asset against those on our squad's tail. Fight's out there, not in here." 

_"You pose a valid argument. To arms!"_

_"And pray he gets himself killed again in the process,"_ Cyclonus muttered. 

_"Love to hate you too, hornhead."_

_Interesting. What is Cyclonus doing siding with Autobots?_

"I don't know," Skyfire whispered, muting the communication, "but we're about to find out."

 

*

 

Outside 

"...so that's why we keep Skyfire on a leash," Black Arachnia concluded. "Just enough for him to run around, and just so much to choke him if he steps out of line." 

"And this was kept from Nightscream and myself for all this time?" Botanica trilled, optics narrowed.

"To be fair," Black Arachnia shrugged, "the rest of us suspected, nothing confirmed. Likely Boss Monkey knew but gave him the benefit of the doubt. Knowing Big Cat, she was using him to our advantage." 

"'Our' advantage?" 

The arachnid Maximal clicked the roof of her mouth. "Seriously, she'd be the first one who'd slit his throat at the hint of treachery. Can't deny Starscream's brilliant. He's just a gashole no one likes." 

"I keep forgetting," Botanica stressed, "I'm in the presence of former Predacons." 

"Oh, not all of us," Black Arachnia chortled, "'Tera was old school Decepticon back in the day." 

 _"Covert agent for Elita One, if you wish to get technical,"_ Blaster corrected. _"Had to get that intel from classified documentation. Getting Art to talk about her past was pulling burrs."_  

The plant Maximal arched an elegant brow. "'Art?'"  

"Forgive her, Blaster," Black Arachnia shrugged, "she's new." 

The taller Maximal ruffled her leaves in disapproval. 

 _"I'm getting hailed by the pigeon. I'll find out more and keep you posted."_  

"What is your malfunction?" Botanica snarled, facing off with Black Arachnia.

The former Predacon rolled her optics. "Look, I don't know why you're still insisting on pretending this is a black-and-white war. It was never clear-cut. If you're talking about Skyfire, he knows we don't trust him. He knows what he is and who keeps his spark pulsing. And he knows that if we even suspect this was nothing more than a ruse, we would tear him apart." 

"He also knows we're outnumbered and cannot risk losing the mechs." 

"He knows he's the only one expendable," Black Arachnia snarled, just as Silverbolt and Braddore, followed by the possessed copter drone, touched down. "So, Jojo, what's the plan?" she demanded without skipping a beat.

"We have allies on board the ship," Silverbolt nodded. "Stormrave and one of their warriors stayed behind to investigate how deep the connection is. We might be able to even the odds with their help." 

"And you left the feather duster with them?" Black Arachnia arched a brow. 

"Please, Pidgey ain't a threat," the copter drone harrumphed. 

The condor furrowed his brow, agitated by the their ally. "Skyfire thinks if he can unlock how Whirl and Cyclonus were able to —" 

"Wait, Cyclonus?" Black Arachnia lowered her head in challenge. "Cyclonus was one of Galvatron's lackeys, and seeing that the Autobots weren't big on recycling names that were synonymous with Unicron spawn, he's likely the real deal."

The copter drone — Whirl — nodded his head enthusiastically. "You shoulda seen him when he found me with his old buddies. I my defence, they were dead when I found them." 

"Excuse me, and you are...?" Botanica demanded. 

"See that handsome mech on the bow of the ship, being all protector-like? _C'est moi._ Yep, most famous Wrecker of all time — "

"Oh. Wreckers." The plant Maximal threw her hands into the air. "Wonderful. Yet another half-cocked gun ready to blast the first thing that moves." 

"I fail to see the downside of your observation," Whirl countered, then snapped his fingers. He opened his mouth to say something more, then resumed his attention on his fingers, snapping them over again. 

"I stand corrected," Botanica sighed. "A half-cocked gun with an attention deficiency." 

The copter gave her a hard glare. "This is an important scientific observation!" he protested, resuming his snapping. 

After a ten click silence, Braddore threw his head back and cried out in frustration. "We'se fragged. We'se rightfully fragged."

"Pfft. We'se — what the hell kinda accent is that?" 

"If you ask me," Botanica grumbled, "I think we've been taken as fools." 

"Your problem. Not mine." Whirl countered, still snapping his fingers. 

Ignoring the possessed Vehicon, Black Arachnia demanded to Silverbolt, "Why would Cyclonus want to help us?" 

"He's loyal to the crew," Silverbolt stressed, his comment bearing more weight than the words. "I trust his intentions to protect his home." 

"That and all his friends are dead. Not my fault," Whirl stated between clicks. "He was desperate for new ones." 

"Will you please stop that!" Botanica ordered. 

Feigning guilt, Whirl brought his hands behind his back. 

"We're wasting time," Silverbolt interjected as Whirl sneaked in one more snap. "We need to meet back up with Optimus." 

"Must we bring him?" Botanica groused, tilting her head to the distracted Vehicon. 

"Seconded," Braddore added. 

"Keep it up, and you'll never get rid of me," Whirl chortled. "Now, squishies, take me to your leader."

  

*

Iacon Proper

Under Cybertropolis, Cybertron

 

 _I am asking for trouble._  

Pantera sat, perched on a destroyed HAV drone, surveying the damage she and Drift — Drift's undead corpse, and whoever was in the driver's seat — had caused. She remained in 'bot mode, nibbling on an energon stick she had scrounged when she had met up with Optimus the first time — 

— after the blast. 

 _Before. After._  

"Oi," she hailed. The corpse, sitting against the aqueduct, turned its face towards her, mouth distended and optics sightless. "You there, Skyfire?"

Drift returned his head about face. _"He's got a plan. Risky, but what's the worst that could happen?"_  

"Just the destruction of the universe," she remarked, hand on the butt of her hammer. 

_Artemis's hammer. Not hers._

_No. Her hammer._

_An apology for blowing off my arm._

_Her arm._

_No. I had —_

_— she had —_

_— approached Brainstorm for a melee weapon. I missed —_

_— she missed —_

_— the swing of the Magnus Hammer._

_The Forge._

_No. Magnus Hammer._  

 

"Primus, this is getting confusing," Pantera growled, pressing her palm against the forehead. 

 _"What do you remember?"_ It was not Blaster; she racked her processor to place the voice. Someone else was riding Skyfire's frequency. 

"By which set of memories?" she questioned. "I remember everything about the Beast Wars, up to this point. But...the Lost Light. I remember deciding, last minute, to board. I remember...." 

_"Frag! Locked in! What the hell?"_

_"Want me to hack it, boss lady?"_

_"You got ten clicks before I blast the lock."_

_"Watch me do it in five."_   

"Cavalier. We were in our hab, and we got locked in."

 _"Got it!"_  

 

 _Was that what happened?_  

_"Frag it — gonna hit the vents, see if I can get it from the service panel. Hang tight, boss lady; I'll find out what's going on."_

"Scrap," she swore, rubbing her optics. 

 _"Anything you can recall? The last thing, maybe, you remember?"_  

"Ofsted XVII." The name was a shotgun blast to the spark. "I remember...Ofsted XVII." She frowned, leaning forward. "Why?" 

 _"It was where our journey ended. At least, in a physical aspect."_  

"No." She stood, jumping from the HAV drone and chambering the hammer on her shoulder. "That's...that's not the reason." Not entirely. "Something happened. On planet. They set down after — "

_"Calm down, I'm on my way. Tell me what happened, from the top."_

_"I messed up, Art. I messed up real bad."_

_"Neither here nor there. What happened?"_  

"A dare." Pantera navigated through the wreckage, past her undead companion. "A practical joke gone wrong." She stopped, staring a the passage's ceiling. "A catalyst." 

_"What the hell happened, Skids?"_

_"We didn't think it would go this far — "_

 "Skids and Riptide. They pulled a prank that...backfired. I was...angry."

 _"Riptide...he helped negotiate for the Lost Light. He was supposed to be on board, but probably got into a fight, or got lost, or got drunk. All of the above, likely. I don't know Skids."_  

"Way things been going lately, I'm not certain I trust my memories." She rubbed her optics. 

_"I—it was a coffin, Art. They brought in a coffin. And it..."_

_"Don't care about that right now. You. How are you? Right now?"_   

"The coffin." 

 _"'Don't open the coffin.'"_  

 

"'Don't let them take Skids.' The distress message we found." 

"Elder!" Optimus Primal called out. It took her five clicks to realise he was addressing her. She glanced up, finding the Maximal leader approaching with the other grounders and Nightscream, minus Black Arachnia and Botanica.

"Thank Primus we caught up with you, Mamacat!" Cheetor greeted. 

"We were worried," Blancwulf added. "You've been — uh?" Ears flattened against her skull, the white wolf bellied to the ground, staring wide-opticked at the rusty Autobot, who had turned its head to regard the newcomers.

"How in the name of Gouda did _that_ get off-ship?" Rattrap demanded. 

"He's an ally," Pantera assured. " _Lost Light_ er. Looks like we're getting some backup."

"'Backup?'" Nightscream repeated.

"That's great!" Inuarai exclaimed, then looked up at Optimus. "It is, right?" 

Optics narrowed, Optimus lumbered closer to the elder, studying her face before diverting his gaze to the Autobot. 

"Backup's great, yeah," Blancwulf whimpered, "but zombie backup?" 

 _"Not exactly the way I'd like to go about, myself,"_ the ethereal whisper retorted, without malice or insult. _"But I can see we're needed here."_  

"Drift." Pantera greeted with a nod. "Thought so. You've found your way home, I see." 

The white and red swordsmech reached upward with a creak in the joints, tapping the hilt of the great sword on his back. _"I think it has to do with this. Hard telling — I was still meditating on an answer before we got talking."_  

"And you're not at all bothered by this?" Nightscream questioned, delivering it to the group. 

"Freaked out," Blancwulf admitted. 

"Just a mite," Inuarai added. 

"Agreeing with general consensus," Cheetor nodded. 

"Eh, just don't ask what's in his mouth," Rattrap groused. 

"I'm surprised you're taking this as well as you are, Drift," Pantera observed. "I'd think you'd see this as an abomination towards your faith." 

 _"You know me, Art; there's a reason for everything, and every obstacle a trial to overcome. This is just one more."_ The Autobot crouched closer to optic level with his smaller brethren, a protest of rusty joints. _"Though, yeah, personally? The last trial? That — that wasn't good. Sorry, it was my fault. I'm seeing this as penance."_  

"I'll share the blame if it helps." Allowing the hammer's hilt to slide in her grip, Pantera choked up near its head and brought it to her side. "It's easier to accept the double memories; helps to figure out what happened, both sides of the case." To Drift, she asked, "Any clues on your end?" 

 _"I regained my senses when I was leading this little guy. Cycle-bot — "_  

"Thrust?" Cheetor questioned. 

 _"Yeah, Art's friend — Art, that's not your Sky, is it? — anyway, Skyfire 'poked' me awake, giving me a quick sit-rep — that a desperate metrotitan had dragged our ship planetside, and that you were trying to dislodge it because the quantum generator had engaged, and it's threatening to tear apart reality as we know it. Thrust had this map in his head to the metrotitan's core."_  

"Why?" Nightscream demanded, his gaze locked somewhere at the Autobot's shoulder. 

 _"Skyfire thinks Thrust was caught in the blast and it rattled some double memories there as well, of a 'titan tracker named Waspinator — "_  

"Wait, what?" Rattrap held up his hands. "Waspinator? That bug-brain couldn't find his way out of a closet, let alone a city as big as Iacon."

"We don't know for certain what he was up to between the Beast Wars and now," Optimus reminded. "But if Thrust is going after the same goal, we know Megatron will be close behind — " 

 _"Except that Thrustinator's gone rogue,"_ Drift pointed out. _"Ripped out his comm. He's working on his own."_  

"Which means we may have a chance to reach out to him," Optimus mused. "Blaster, are you still monitoring?" 

 _"Loud and proud! Sky's got a meeting of minds with Cyke to figure out how to give us more than just moral support; rest of them are heading back to your position."_  

"What about the _Lost Light_?" Pantera demanded. 

 _"Obsidian got a slagload of aft-hurt and retreated, courtesy of our resident frenemies. Took his crew with him. I wouldn't worry about that guy."_  

"We maintain position, then," Optimus ordered. "In the meantime, Elder, back to beast mode. No telling how deep Vehicon sensors can penetrate down here." Turning to Cheetor, he was about to give another command before lifting his head, brow cocked, and resuming his gaze to the black and chrome Maximal. "Elder?" 

"Yeah. I'm good," she shook her head, reverting to all fours in a burst of blue. 

 _"What's up, Art?"_ Drift whispered, voice close to her ear. 

"Just because I accepted I'm having the double memories,"she muttered, "doesn't mean I'm not jumbled. I — had forgotten I'm not — frag, this is bollixed." 

 _"Faith, Art. Have faith. We'll get through this."_  

"Frag off," she sank to her haunches, though the curse was delivered with fondness. _Were we close?_  

_"You're a just person, Art. Strong and righteous in your convictions. They had all the reason to fear you."_

_"Frag off."_

_"Hold faith, then, in the friends who will cloak and comfort you in your time of need."_

 

 **NEXT CHAPTER:** Unite Us All


End file.
